How was church today?

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Seeler said:
Church was good – I hope!! For the second week in a row I did worship at the little church I used to attend. This was my first time leading worship this year; I didn't make myself available through the winter. I spoke about the ordinary times Jesus spent with his followers particularly times he shared in the fellowship of the meal with them. Such a time was on the shores of the Sea of Galilee when he called to them 'come and have breakfast'. I compared this to the reading from Acts and the call of Paul. We don't always see Jesus in a flash of light and a voice from heaven; sometimes it is in the ordinary things of life where we are called to share the loaf of bread or bit a fish. The important thing being that we are in a relationship with God and with one another in love.

I spent many hours in preparation before I choose the prayers, drafted the order of service, consulted with the music director and the secretary, and drafted the message, revised it and prepared the final copy. One Saturday I was talking with a friend who is leading the early morning service at her Anglican Church. She told me that she was going home that afternoon to check the scriptures and see what should be talking about next day. She explained that she didn't need much preparation; she just used the prayer book. She didn't type up her message in advance but just a little prayer that God would put the right words into her mouth. Always seem so easy, but somehow with the positive feedback I got from the congregation, I was glad I had put time into preparation and that I had the script before me to refer to as I delivered my message.
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I'm like you Seeler…..I put a lot of preparation and effort in before leading worship. I know there are others out there who do it more naturally/easily, but I accept this part of my nature. I go 'off script' for the children's message usually, and rehearse the reflection/sermon so much that I can say some of it without the written page. But my arguments and illustrations are carefully structured, and I don't want to forget anything, so I need the page. Last week, I spoke on the same scripture readings that you did, and called the message "Come to Breakfast". I spoke about the nature of Jesus' call to his disciples...that of invitation, and quite different than the revelation that caught Saul's attention. I always put some of my own experiences in the message, and this time, talked about my life as a Special Education teacher who appreciated some good advice to 'invite' others into the process rather than to be too forceful or coercive.

I don't lead worship this week, but will the following week. It is called "New Again".
 
Last week I led the Protestant worship service at the long term care residence where I volunteer as a Spiritual Care visitor.
It was a thrilling experience. I just had 30 minutes to fit call to 4 hymns, call to prayer, collect of the day, prayers of the people, the Gospel reading, a message, doxology and benediction. So it was kinda rushed. But it worked well and I'll lead again on June 30. This time I'll cut something to make it flow better.
My message was about John 21:1-14, Jesus coming to the disciples by the beach, all the fish they caught, etc. I focused on the change of heart of Peter, who jumped in the sea and swam fast in Christ's direction instead of fearing as on the passage where Jesus walked on the water, and also on the humanity of Jesus, who after resurrection kept his very human heart and nature to the point of being seated by the beach eating fish with his friends. This Jesus knows all too well how it is to be human, and he deeply understands and welcomes us because he knows.
When I was there standing in the pulpit, looking at everyone and preaching, I felt shivers as this is what I'd like to do every Sunday, or rather every day. How I'm going to solve this problem, I still don't know.

Meanwhile, my wife apparently found her church: our first Anglican congregation in Winnipeg. The love and care of ours friends from there have attracted her very much, and the Great Vigil of Easter liturgy was so powerful for her and changed something. She's even joined the kitchen roster.
 
GiancarloZ said:
. I just had 30 minutes to fit call to 4 hymns, call to prayer, collect of the day, prayers of the people, the Gospel reading, a message, doxology and benediction. So it was kinda rushed. But it worked well and I'll lead again on June 30. This time I'll cut something to make it flow better.
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4 hymns seems a bit much for 1/2 hour. That's probably where I'd start cutting, take that to 3. I'd keep the doxology and benediction short and sweet, too. That's me, though. There's lots of ways you could do it, really.
 
Mendalla said:
4 hymns seems a bit much for 1/2 hour. That's probably where I'd start cutting, take that to 3. I'd keep the doxology and benediction short and sweet, too. That's me, though. There's lots of ways you could do it, really.
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The 4 hymns are kind of a requirement of the residence, since many residents have dementia or other difficulties, and the hymns make them connect easier. Prayers of the people are also a requirement, though I can make them shorter the next time. Maybe that's the part that took more time than it should.

For Doxology, I used "Glory to God, whose power working in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine; glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, forever and ever. Amen." and the Aaronic Benediction, which is also short.

I'm probably cutting the collect of the day from the beginning, as there's already a collect in the prayers of the people, and also taking off the responses before the Gospel reading (The Lord be with you, etc.). So I'm thinking of something like that:

Welcome / Call to worship / Apostolic greeting altogether (I did it separately, took too much time - also, no responses)
First hymn
Gospel reading
Message (not exactly a sermon, because you just have 3 to 5 minutes to spend here)
Second hymn
Prayers of the people + Lord's prayer
Third hymn
Doxology
Benediction
Fourth hymn
Dismissal
 
GiancarloZ said:
The 4 hymns are kind of a requirement of the residence, since many residents have dementia or other difficulties, and the hymns make them connect easier.
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Yeah, that occurred to me after I posted. I would probably put the Message after the second hymn just to even things out but, again, that's me.
 
As a Lutheran with Reformed tendencies, for me the Gospel reading and the message/sermon are really intertwined and part of the same flow. It'd make me feel weird to set a hymn between them. But I see what you mean.
 
GiancarloZ said:
As a Lutheran with Reformed tendencies, for me the Gospel reading and the message/sermon are really intertwined and part of the same flow. It'd make me feel weird to set a hymn between them. But I see what you mean.
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I've seen it done both ways. Depends on how many readings, too. My old family church did two, but I find it varies more among the congregations I've been to around here.

I keep thinking I should give the Lutherans another try but based on my Dad's church (ELCIC), I can't see them being a fit. There's an ELCIC congregation not far from me, though, so maybe some day.
 
There are two general styles of Lutheran churches: very liturgical with old-school hymns, and the ones open to modern/contemporary styles. The latter are generally a good experience, especially if you enjoy musical diversity.

Their theology, nowadays, generally pends to the liberal side, though not so liberal as UCCan but more than the Anglicans. I'm not aware of conservative ELCIC congregations in my Synod.

But as we know, it all depends on the congregation. Maybe in the same city you can find large variations.
 
GiancarloZ said:
I'm not aware of conservative ELCIC congregations in my Synod.
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Based on Dad's funeral, his was fairly conservative theologically. He went because of his third wife and I'm not sure that he actually was that conservative even then. He and Mom were quite liberal when they were UCCan. But I haven't really looked into the ones around here yet.
 
Is this congregation still in the ELCIC after it passed the same-sex marriage authorization?
Lots of conservative congregations left after that.
 
GiancarloZ said:
Is this congregation still in the ELCIC after it passed the same-sex marriage authorization?
Lots of conservative congregations left after that.
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Dad's funeral was after that, IIRC, so yeah, they still were. In fact, the pastor who married them went to an executive position with ELCIC IIRC (a different pastor was there for the funeral).
 
Mendalla said:
Dad's funeral was after that, IIRC, so yeah, they still were
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Here in Winnipeg the last one opposing same-sex marriage left some years ago. Now all the ELCIC parishes here are pretty liberal, or at least accommodating.
 
Those services at Nursing Homes are fascinating. I used to enjoy watching the heads come up as residents recognised a hymn. The words were still available to them even though the weren't able to remember their spouse or children. I guess that is why we say "I know that by heart".

Today a dear and long time friend won't be at the service in her Nursing Home. She joined so many of my other friends yesterday and now lives in my memories.
 
KayTheCurler said:
Those services at Nursing Homes are fascinating. I used to enjoy watching the heads come up as residents recognised a hymn. The words were still available to them even though the weren't able to remember their spouse or children. I guess that is why we say "I know that by heart".

Today a dear and long time friend won't be at the service in her Nursing Home. She joined so many of my other friends yesterday and now lives in my memories.
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Some folk don;t believe in memories and the memes that form them ...thus these are more things in the lost regions!

And we wonder about why we don;t know much ... except for those chosen to know it all ... everything and nothing right out to eternity!

The foundation for stretch and ankh ...
 
KayTheCurler said:
Those services at Nursing Homes are fascinating. I used to enjoy watching the heads come up as residents recognised a hymn. The words were still available to them even though the weren't able to remember their spouse or children. I guess that is why we say "I know that by heart".

Today a dear and long time friend won't be at the service in her Nursing Home. She joined so many of my other friends yesterday and now lives in my memories.
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Singing operates out of a different part of your brain than speech, thats why some people with Aphasia can sing, but not speak.
 
We have found a minor resolution to this dilemma of old and remembered hymns, versus not snoozing younger people, nor forcing to split a not-quite big enough congregation into two services.

We have one hymn in the service designated a "heritage hymn". Then twice a month, an ex-choir member with a talent for musical leadership leads a "hymn sing" in the sanctuary from 10:15-10:30.
 
Today's sermon was by Rev. Don McLeod and was on the 23rd Psalm. It was looking at the life affirming parts of the psalm rather than the funereal valley of the shadow that is often focused on. It was an interesting sermon and the closing hymn "I'll be there" looking at the many ages and stages of life was good as well.
 
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